Florărese în
Piaţa Mare în 1929
Women selling flowers at the Grand Market in 1929
A classical composition on diagonal, resulting from
the positioning of the florists around their baskets
In the foreground (the first segment of the
diagonal) we can see a group of four characters,
suggesting symmetry and rhythmical movement by their
position. The alternation horizontal/vertical makes
the composition similar to the one in the photo
showing the whitewashers. The light falls from the
left, as the shadows dragged off to the right show
us, on the photographer’s way of moving. He was
surprised by the two florists in the foreground, who
take up different poses: although slightly amazed,
the young woman is calm, while the old one seems to
yell, in an attitude of rebellion, although it is
not obvious that such revolt was generated by the
photographer’s presence. We also notice that the age
difference is translated by clothing differences.
Due to the framing, the faces of the two standing
florists are not visible, which creates some
difficulties in interpreting the characters’
attitudes. It is for the first time when the access
to the visible is not blocked by an element of the
composition, but by the way the photo was framed
(this is one of the photos where one can infer
Ionescu’s experience as movie operator; the
sensation is one of traveling). One can recreate the
attitude by means of the bodies’ position. The
second feminine character seems to have a very proud
attitude, the body is slightly leaned towards the
back, and the half opened hands suggest a diva-like
attitude. This attitude does not seem to be
addressed to the photographer, because the character
did not turn towards the camera. It rather seems to
be a dialogue had with someone in front of her and
from the right side of the image.
The second feminine character seems to have a quite
proud attitude and you can easily infer it from the
slight leaning of her body towards the back, as well
as from the hands opened in a ‘diva’-like gesture.
This attitude does not seem to be addressed to the
photographer, because the character did not turn
towards the camera. It rather seems to be a dialogue
had with someone in front of her and from the right
side of the image.
The florists’ segment is bluntly suspended, giving
way to a dynamic group. Yet, we do not have complete
access to what is visible, we can only presume that
they have a contradictory talk, based on the
resolute gesture of a character.
